The present invention relates to bullet-proof vests and more particularly to such vests having the capability of selectively providing distress and warning signals to remote locations.
This invention is related to the field of personal security devices. In particular, the invention is directed to a protective garment, such as a vest, which will not only provide protection against traumas and impacts delivered to the wearer, but will provide a distress signal to a police station or other such authority when the trauma or impact is received.
It is common for police officers and other peace keeping officials to wear protective vests. These vests are made of a bullet proof material and additional shock absorbing material. Kevlar(copyright) or other tightly woven, tear resistant material can be employed as the bullet proof material. Rigid plates can also be employed but due to their added weight and discomfort, they are less common. Padding, including inflatable chambers or compressible fill, can be used within the bullet proof liner to distribute the force of stopping the bullet over a larger area on the wearer""s body.
Although these vest are often successful at preventing or reducing the wearer""s injuries, they are not perfectly effective. Some bullets can pass through a protective vest, entering the body of the wearer. Other weapons deliver a spray of pellets (such as a shotgun) which may not be completely blocked by the vest. Further, even when the bullet does not pass completely through, the impact from stopping the bullet can be substantial, causing severe, even deadly injury to the wearer.
Once the wearer has been injured, he may be unable to request aid. This is of particular concern for police officers who may be on a deserted road at night during a traffic stop, or who may be called off their regular beat in an emergency situation. Once so severely injured, the locations of these officers may be unknown. Consequently, although the vest may reduce injury, the officer is still at great risk and not easily located to receive aid even if it is known that the officer is injured. While such officers typically carry radios, if the officer is unconscious or delirious, he may not be able to instruct anyone as to his location.
The problems arising in these situations are not even recognized in the prior art, let alone resolved. U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,378 is directed to an impact sensing vest and issued on Jul. 10, 1997 from a patent filed Jun. 8, 1995. This patent discloses a vest including woven tubing incorporated throughout the vest. An electrically conductive fluid passes through the tubing. An electrical signal is passed through the tubes at all times. Should the vest be subjected to a substantial impact, the tubing would break, thereby short circuiting the current passing through the tubes. When the electrical contact is broken, the transmitter is activated and sends a recorded message, such as an identification number of the wearer, to a central dispatcher. The transmitter can also be activated when a position sensor detects that the vest is in a vertical position for a predetermined period of time. A rip-cord can be provided which allows the wearer to instantly activate the transmitter in times of distress. There is no suggestion to employ this system with a bullet proof vest.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,355 is directed to an alarm for patient monitor and life support equipment system. This patent issued on Jun. 7, 1994 from a patent application originally filed on Mar. 6, 1991. In the disclosed system, medical and hospital personal are notified that a patient""s life support equipment require an immediate response. As preferred this system generates an alarm signal indicating the patient and the particular equipment which needs attention. This signal is sent to a master control unit which then transmits the signal to pagers held by the doctors and other personnel. Preferably, the pager has a vibrational announcer and a visual display which can describe the patient location and the equipment which needs attention. In this way, the medical personnel can be notified without alarming the patient. Again, there is no teaching to use this system with a bullet proof vest or with an impact sensing device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,359 is directed to a portable water activated alert system with directional indicator. This patent issued on Dec. 28, 1993 from an application filed Mar. 9, 1992. In this system, a device is provided which incorporates a signal transmitter activated by water. Such a device could be warn by a child playing near a pool. Should the device become wet, the transmitter sends a signal to a receiver. The receiver is operably engaged to an alarm. The receiver also is attached to a directional and proximity indicator which lights up LEDs indicating the distance and location of the transmitter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,792 is directed to a vehicle location system. This patent discloses generally the use of one type of global positioning system.
None of these patents address the problems resolved by the instant invention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bullet proof vest which will signal a central station when the wearer is subjected to a substantial impact, such as from a bullet.
It is another object of an aspect of the invention to provide a bullet proof vest which will perceive the location of the wearer and will forward the location to the central station when the wearer has received a substantial impact.
It is another object of the invention to provide a vest which will distribute the impact of a trauma over a large portion of the wearer""s body, will signal a central station that the impact has been delivered, and will identify the wearer and his location.
It is another object of an aspect of this invention to provide a vest which can reduce the effect of an impact on the wearer while monitoring the wearer""s bodily functions. Should the wearer be subjected to an impact or should the bodily functions move beyond a predetermined range, a transmitter will send a distress signal to a central station identifying the wearer and his location.
It is another object of the invention to provide a garment which is bullet proof that includes a sensor for determining when a substantial impact has been delivered to the garment and a transmitter for sending a signal that the substantial impact has been received.
In accord with one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for protecting a user from severe impact and warning of the severe impact is provided. A vest has an outer sensing layer, an inner sensing layer and a central layer disposed between the inner sensing layer and the outer sensing layer. The inner sensing layer and the outer sensing layer are adapted to send an impact signal when they are subjected to an impact above a predetermined level. A transmitter is adapted to broadcast a warning or distress signal when an impact signal is generated. A global positioning device of determining the location of the vest generates a signal corresponding to that location. Means are also provided for actuating the global positioning device to transmit the location signal when an impact signal is generated.
In accord with another aspect of the invention, a garment is disclosed for providing a warning when a user is subjected to an impact. Preferably, the garment is a vest having a protective layer and a sensing layer disposed adjacent to the protective layer. The sensing layer is adapted to send an impact signal when subjected to an impact above a predetermined level. The vest also includes a transmitter operably engaged to the sensing layer for sending a distress signal when an impact signal is generated. A global positioning device is attached to the vest. The distress signal includes information corresponding to the location of the user.
Certain implementations of this aspect of the invention provide that: physiological sensors are attached to the vest and are operably engaged to the wearer for generating physiological signals corresponding to selected physical conditions of the user; the distress signal includes information corresponding to the physiological signals; the physiological sensor is a thermometer for measuring the body temperature of the user and the distress signal includes information about the body temperature of the user; the physiological sensor is a blood pressure meter for measuring the blood pressure of the user and the distress signal includes,information about the blood pressure of the user; the pressure layer is made of a piezoelectric material; the sensing layer is a first sensing layer, the vest further comprising a second sensing layer attached to the protective layer opposite the first sensing layer; the distress signal varies on whether the first sensing layer sends an impact signal, whether the second impact layer sends an impact signal, or whether both sensing layers send impact signals; the impact signal varies depending upon the strength of the impact.
In accord with another aspect of the invention, a garment is provided. A first layer includes a means for sensing an impact on the first layer. Means are provided for generating an impact signal based on the impact on the first layer. Means are also provided for transmitting a distress signal based upon the impact signal. A second layer is attached to the first layer and is designed to resist impact.
Certain implementations of this aspect of the invention provide that: the second layer is bullet proof; the first layer is composed of a piezoelectric material; the signal generated by the impact sensing means corresponds to the strength of the impact; a third layer is attached to the second layer and a second impact sensing means is operably engaged to the third layer for detecting impact on the third layer, wherein the signal generated by the impact sensing means is based, at least in part, on the impact sensed by the second impact sensing means.
In accord with another aspect of the invention, a garment is provided for protecting a wearer from impact blows and for emitting a distress signal upon delivery of the impact blow. The garment is a vest having a bullet proof liner and a cover layer attached to the bullet proof liner. Means are provided for sensing impact on the cover layer and for generating an impact signal. Means are also provided for sending a distress signal attached to the vest. The distress signal sending means includes a means for generating and transmitting a broadcast signal based, at least in part, on the impact signal, which broadcast signal includes information concerning the wearer.
Certain implementations of this aspect of the invention provide that: the broadcast signal is a radio signal; a global positioning device is mounted to the vest wherein the broadcast signal includes information concerning the location of the wearer; a physiological meter is attached to the vest and operably engaged to the wearer for measuring at least one physical characteristic of the wearer wherein the broadcast signal includes information regarding the at least one physical characteristic; an inner liner is attached to the bulletproof liner opposite the cover layer, a means is provided for sensing an impact on the inner liner, and means are provided for generating a second impact signal corresponding to the impact on the inner liner, wherein the distress signal includes information regarding the second impact signal; a means is provided for sending a status signal attached to the vest for the wearer to broadcast a selected message; the selected message includes information that the wearer is not in danger; a means is provided for locking the status signal means to prevent activating the status signal means without authority.